Harnett County Hospital To Close

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ERWIN, N.C. — After nearly 100 years, a Harnett County institution is about to become history. Good Hope Hospital in Erwin will close its doors in April, putting nearly 200 people out of work.

Hospital CEO Glen Davis told WRAL that the closing is a financial decision. The non-profit hospital is old and needs to rebuilt, and they're strapped for cash, leaving them no alternative but to close. Competition is another reason. Good Hope is about five miles from Betsy Johnson Regional Hospital. Both are in eastern Harnett County, but the county needs another hospital in the central and western parts.

Last April, Harnett County commissioners asked the two to join forces, along with WakeMed, to form Harnett County Health Systems. It would run both facilities and build a new hospital in Lillington to replace Good Hope.

Betsy Johnson said yes to the plan, but Good Hope said no. It had a deal with a Texas company to build its own new hospital in Lillington. The state denied Good Hope's request to build, giving approval to the health system instead.

Without that approval, Good Hope's financial backing dried up. It was the last straw after seven years of legal battles to stay alive.

Good Hope is retraining its 110 full-time and 50 part-time employees, hoping that they might find a job in the next 60 days. There's also a possibility Good Hope could still join the health system. The hospital Board of Directors initiated that conversation Tuesday morning.

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